6 Sessions, Wednesdays from September 6th to October 11th, 7-9pm Eastern Time

online, 10 students max

Recently, in a teaching workshop of his own, beloved author Peter Orner said, "We should all read more paragraphs out loud to each other." That -- combined with anecdotes from other established writers whose own personal writing groups consist of peers reading pages as the ink dries -- is the inspiration behind this casual, intimate non-class class. Perhaps you're not up for lengthy comprehensive feedback on your work-in-progress, but you would like a quick temperature check from others who are also in the deep, generative stage. Students will gather weekly to read out loud short excerpts from their WIP in real time to glean spontaneous and encouraging gut reactions, and to funnel that fresh energy back into their work. Designed to foster community and maintain momentum, this is for the busy, independent writer who does not have time to read and comment extensively on manuscripts in a workshop intensive, but could use a regular boost and some camaraderie. No weekly prep is required, only your openness and attention. Join the experiment! Sharpen those listening skills as you tune in, offering keen observations and off-the-cuff insight! Connect with others! Everyone will have a chance to share their screen as they read from their work multiple times -- every week or every other week depending on group size. Max 10 people.

Meet the Instructor

Sara Lippmann is the author of the story collections Doll Palace, re-released by 713 Books, and Jerks from Mason Jar Press. Her work has been honored by the New York Foundation for the Arts, and has appeared in The Millions, The Washington Post, The Lit Hub, Best Small Fictions, Catapult, Guernica, Epiphany, Split Lip, Joyland, Wigleaf and elsewhere. She received a BA from Brown and an MFA from The New School, and has been teaching creative writing for over 20 years to people of all ages. Her debut novel, LECH, is out now from Tortoise Books.

Gut Real, 6 Sessions with Sara Lippmann